If you are in the manufacturing industry there has to be a process for producing the product you’re making.  You can’t carry out random actions and expect a product that works to come out of the other end of the production process.

Some organisations have processes for other activities, for instance getting bills paid – there may be a process that starts with three quotations, choosing the best one that will deliver what you want, issuing a purchase order, logging arrival of the goods, signing off the delivery, getting the invoice passed by the head of the department making the purchase and then sending it to accounts for payment in time for the next batch of payments to be made.

Processes create consistency.  They allow you to track and measure outcomes to know whether you’re getting the results you want or whether things can improve.

• If a supplier asks you to follow a process with your orders, it makes sense to follow it if you want to get the best service possible.
• If you have something that is done regularly in-house it makes sense to record the process so that new staff can follow it easily (and it doesn’t get bent out of shape by people who are too familiar with it).
• If you want to keep your website up-to-date it makes sense to have a process for checking links, adding blogs, updating content, etc., so visitors get the best possible experience of your organisation.

Take a look at your processes and check that you’re using them to get the best possible outcomes.